Thinking of taking the online dating dive to ensure a Valentine's Day date? You're not alone.

A new Pew Research Center study found that more Americans are looking for love in cyberspace than ever. Fifteen percent of adults admitted to using an online dating site or swiping right on a mobile app—up from 11 percent who reported doing so in early 2013.

Unsurprisingly, that growth is most notable for 18- to 24-year-olds, 22 percent percent of whom have tried their hand at online dating apps, a more than fourfold increase from 2013.

According to Pew, young adults are more likely than any other age group to use mobile dating apps. But don't discount the older generations: The share of 55- to 64-year-olds who use online dating has doubled over the same period, from 6 percent in 2013 to 12 percent last year.

There is no shortage of sites and services to choose from, but buyer beware: some folks consider online daters "desperate," and believe it is a more dangerous way of meeting people than, say, through a friend.

Related

More than 50 percent of female users agree—substantially more than the 38 percent of men. As does the U.K.'s National Crime Agency. A recent NCA report revealed that sexual assaults and rapes related to online dating have increased in five years—from 33 in 2009 to 184 in 2014.

Still, a majority of online daters agree that digital is desirable, Pew said, citing advantages like getting to know a lot of people to find a better match.

About the Author

Stephanie joined PCMag in May 2012, moving to New York City from Frederick, Md., where she worked for four years as a multimedia reporter at the second-largest daily newspaper in Maryland. She interned at Baltimore magazine and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (in the town of Indiana, in the state of Pennsylvania) with a degree in ... See Full Bio

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